RCMP wants $4 million worth of more cops

The city of Halifax is currently in the midst of its municipal budget pre-season crunch, with the Board of Police Commissioners recently holding a special meeting to discuss the RCMP’s preliminary budget requests for the upcoming year. The meeting was scheduled to ensure that members of the public have the necessary information to provide input on both the RCMP and Halifax Region Police budgets, although the board has previously shown a dismissive attitude towards public feedback.

The RCMP has put forward significant budget requests, including the addition of over $4 million worth of new officers to the city’s payroll. These requests include the hiring of traffic and community officers for various locations, as well as the establishment of new satellite offices in growing areas of the city. With Halifax experiencing substantial population growth, the RCMP believes these additions are necessary to effectively cover the expanding regions within the municipality.

The city itself is also undergoing significant planning changes, driven by directives from both federal and provincial governments to improve suburban planning practices. This initiative aims to increase density and promote population growth within existing suburbs, ultimately leading to a more unified and urbanized municipal core within Halifax Regional Municipality.

One of the key considerations in the budget discussions is the question of which police force should be responsible for policing within the urban transit boundary. While the RCMP has historically covered rural areas effectively, the growing urban population and associated challenges may warrant a reevaluation of this arrangement. As Halifax continues to evolve and grow, the issue of policing within densified communities becomes increasingly important.

The upcoming public meeting on January 8 will provide an opportunity for community members to voice their opinions on policing and police spending to the Board of Police Commissioners. However, concerns have been raised about the board’s dismissive attitude towards public feedback, particularly from Commissioner Gavin Giles, who has been appointed as the chair of the board. It remains to be seen whether the board will take public input seriously and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of policing in Halifax.

Ultimately, the decisions made by the Board of Police Commissioners during the budget debate on January 15 will have a significant impact on the policing landscape in Halifax. Will they prioritize thoughtful consideration and public input, or will they simply rubber stamp the proposed budgets as they have done in the past? The outcome of these discussions will shape the future of policing in Halifax as the city continues to grow and evolve.